Parable of the
Lost Sheep, Coin, Son reveals the mission of all Christians while on Earth.
Jesus rebukes the religious leaders and tells us what's truly important God's
kingdom.

Lost Sheep-Coin-Son Parable

Ever wondered why God leaves us here after we
receive Jesus? Why doesn't He just beam us to heaven? Why do we have to stay in
these sinful bodies, continuing to struggle, suffer, fail, and fall? What's that
all about, anyway? Sometimes that's a good question to ask the Lord in you
prayer time, "Why am I here? Lord, what's my mission?" Obviously, He
has a reason. God doesn't do anything by accident. If we don't know why we're
here, how can we ever be fulfilled and happy? The fact is, each of us does have
a purpose, a mission assigned by our Creator. We need to know what that is. Her
are some of the best-selling books on the
Lost Sheep and Other Parables. Once
we become followers of Jesus, we begin to explore possibilities again, just like
a newborn child. We start to look for parts of our life that have meaning in
this new "awakening" of ours. We start to discard those things that
are meaningless or that oppose the new life in us. We're literally being
recreated by God into who we were designed to be.

Then, for many, sadly, the religious people take
over. They say we have to dress a certain way, and talk a certain way, and vote
a certain way. They say we have to make offerings a certain way, and worship a
certain way, and pray a certain way. They tell us the Bible is so complicated
that only they can
interpret it for us. They teach us if there's any difference between what we
hear from God and what they hear, we must follow them. If we don't, we're
disobedient…to God. Yet, the Bible says to follow
God, and serve Him only. Our very mission is blocked by religious
"rulers", Pharisee's, parading around, pretending to be the dispensers
of God's will. They say His mission for us is anything but what He
says it is.

Today we get a wonderful glimpse into the
struggle between the mission of God and the mission of religion. If you haven't
read it already, pause right here and read Luke 15. I'm not going to read it for
you, and you won't understand me if you don't read it. Jesus told all 3 stories
to highlight the difference between God's mission and religion's mission. Much
of the New Testament records the battle in the Church between
God and religion. That battle continues today. We need to be wary of what's
being taught by the religious and how it's being taught. I'll tell you, if
you're not studying God's Word for yourself and checking constantly what you're
being told, you're not even safe at
www.web-church.com, as careful as we are…we're still living in these sinful, human bodies.
Religion teaches us to elevate and serve ourselves and those like us and to
avoid and judge everyone else. Yet Jesus teaches us in these 3 stories that His
mission is just the opposite.

There is only one
mission for a follower of Jesus…finding lost sheep.

1. Pharisee: We're gonna start with the end of
the chapter, where Jesus uses the "older" son to explain the religious
mindset, you know, the Pharisees. I'm starting here because we rarely hear this
side of the story. Religious people love to try to identify with the lost son,
but don't want to be challenged to compare themselves with his older brother.
Upon hearing his lost brother had returned, the first reaction of the older son
was relief? joy? Celebration? No! It was anger! He
was so angry he would not even enter the house. He explained by describing his
relationship with the father as slavery. He whined that the father had never
given him enough. It was clear he felt he had a right to be called son because
he had earned it by serving and obeying his father. It was clear he felt his
younger brother deserved nothing because he had not served and obeyed his
father. Ever heard someone brag how much better they are than someone else
because of their behavior? Ever seen that person in the mirror? I've heard
myself do it…how 'bout you? I'm learning better, but there are religious
leaders who have said such things as, "we deserved the attack on the World
Trade Center because of our sinfulness". How many religious people believe
we deserve bad things that happen to us because of wrongs we've done? This is
the sad and lonely mind of the religious, always condemning the wayward while
commending and excusing themselves and members of their exclusive club. Jesus
was warning them and us, this club opposes His mission in the world. Let's take
the "Pharisee test", to see which club we're in. Which groups below do
you feel are more deserving of God's love? __________ a. Alcoholics b.
Billionaires c. Christians d. Abortionists e. Priests/pastors f. Murderers g.
Tithers (correct answers hidden later in this lesson)

Web-Church News!

Bio: Glen Williams
is Founder of E-Home Fellowship, Co. (EHF) and Webmaster for
http://www.web-church.com He has
been helping people professionally since 1987 and a minister since 1991.
He began web ministry in 2001. Now, every month, people in over 140
countries come to EHF websites for help with their problems.

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